The Best and Worst Possible Outcomes
by practicingproductivity
Summary: Yato experiences both the best and the worst possible outcomes of that battle that night, and only one of them can be a dream. Yatone Week 2k16 Day 6.


**A/N:** So here is Day 6's entry for Yukine Week 2016. The theme was horror and the prompt was dreams. I hope you enjoy!

-o-o-o-o-o-

Yato called him, but Sekki collided impotently against the borderlines drawn by Bishamon's shinki. He fell to the ground with a clang. Yato watched the arc of Bishamon's swing, her sword slicing through the air overhead, down, and soon to be through himself. His eyes grew wider with each centimeter her sword got closer, dry and unblinking in the face of certain death. Then just before she could land the killing blow, a flash of silver interrupted her. Sekki hovered in front of his master, unwavering.

Yato opened his mouth to scream but he was too late. Bishamon's sword cut Sekki clean in two.

"YUKINE!" The pain was as sharp as if a stake had been run through his heart. He collapsed against the walls of his translucent prison.

And his shinki reverted, his torso severed from his legs. His amber eyes were already lifeless. He landed in a river of his own blood, now two pieces of a person instead of one whole.

Bishamon's own eyes widened with surprise. She hadn't been expecting that. She wanted to feel the satisfaction of Yato experiencing the pain she had experienced when he slaughtered her family, but there was a voice wailing in the back of her mind, a voice echoed by Yato.

"He was innocent!" Yato cried.

Bishamon's hands trembled. She dropped her stance and let her shinki revert. Anger coursed through her veins.

"If he was innocent, then why did you make him fight?" Bishamon spat back.

"I was trying to save Hiyori, and I've been trying to protect myself from you!" Yato yelled. His eyes, hot and stinging, were glued to Yukine's lifeless corpse.

"You killed him by bringing him here," Bishamon said angrily.

Yato wanted to protest. But she was right. Yukine was gone, and it was his fault. If he hadn't brought Yukine here. If he hadn't accepted Kazuma's wish all those years ago... Yukine, Yukine would still be his shinki. Everything would be okay. Hiyori wouldn't be in trouble.

Yato closed his eyes, tears sliding through the gaps between his lashes. The chill of Yukine's death embraced him.

"It's your fault," Bishamon said, her voice low and laden with contempt.

She kept saying it over and over, until he couldn't hear her over his own sobs. He wanted to undo it, undo it all. Anything to have Yukine back. But he could not turn back time. What was done was done. Yukine was lost forever.

Bishamon's shinki released him. She walked away, seemingly satisfied.

Yato's legs had all the durability of matchsticks, snapping under his weight. So he crawled on all fours to where Yukine lay. He cradled Yukine's torso against his own, stroked his blond hair. Kissed the top of his head. He begged life to return to him.

Yato felt a warmth envelope him from behind. It caressed his face. The grief began to melt away. When he opened his eyes again, he was in Kofuku's attic.

"Bad dream?" Yukine whispered. His hand moved to Yato's shoulder where he absently drew circles with his thumb.

"Yeah." Yato gave his hand a squeeze. His throat was raw as if he'd been crying for hours, and the word came out hoarse and exhausted.

"Did you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know."

"I heard you say my name," Yukine said after a long pause.

Yato exhaled heavily, trying to force his anxieties out with his breath. Yukine leaned back a little to give him room to turn around and face him.

"You didn't become hafuri." The words were coarse and cracked, and Yato choked on them a little as he said them.

He searched Yukine's eyes for the life that had been taken from them in his dream. Yukine's eyes were warm, and kind, full of understanding, and very alive. The relief was enough to give birth to fresh tears.

"But I did." Yukine followed the trail of Yato's tears with his gaze and his fingers.

"But if you hadn't-" Yato choked.

"But I did," Yukine said again, his fingers reaching Yato's jaw, curling beneath his chin.

Yato closed his eyes and leaned into Yukine's touch. Yukine's lips were soft and moved sweetly against his own. Yato wrapped his arm around him, and pulled Yukine firmly against him, feeling him solid and whole. His hafuri. His Yukine.


End file.
